Three men killed when they were hit by a car in Birmingham overnight, were protecting their property from looters, friends said today.

Haroon Jhar (20), Shahzad Hussain, (28) and a third man went out to defend their local mosque and businesses.

Haroon Jhar’s father Tariq told reporters: “I've got no words to describe what has happened, I don't understand why people are behaving like this and why my son has died.

Speaking to the media outside City Hospital, which is less than a mile from the scene of the incident, Mohammed Shakiel said the car sped off after striking the men at up to 50mph.

The victims, who were aged between 20 and 31, were part of a group of men who had gathered in the local area to protect shops used by all sections of the local community, Mr Shakiel said.

The 34-year-old carpenter said: "We got a call that there had been a car that had been set alight and a group of youths had moved further up the road.

"They put the fire out but there were still yobs on the street - they had no agenda other than simple stealing."

Several cars then drove past the group which was guarding local stores, Mr Shakiel said, and the occupants shouted abuse before one vehicle returned and mounted the pavement at "tremendous speed" and hit the men, throwing them into the air.

According to witnesses, the car, containing up to four men, then sped off. There were up to 80 people in the area at the time.

Mr Shakiel said of the victims: "They lost their lives for other people, doing the job of the police.

The ambulance service confirmed that all three men were in collision with a car and that paramedics found scores of people at the scene of the incident when they arrived.

"The incident took place close to the Jet filling station on Dudley Road in Winson Green at approximately 1.15am," the spokesman said.

"Three ambulances, two rapid response vehicles and an incident support officer was sent to the scene.

"When crews arrived, they found around 80 people at the scene with resuscitation ongoing on three men.

"Crews used their advanced life support skills while police officers provided support."

Two of the men were pronounced dead and the third taken to hospital, where he later died.